UNITED NATIONS ^^^ '^^ Economic and Social Council GENEML E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 12 March 1991 ENGLISH Original : FRENCH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Forty-seventh session SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 7th MEETING Held a t the P a l a i s des N a t i o n s , Geneva, on F r i d a y , 1 February 1991, a t 10 a.m. Chairman: later: Mr. MARTIUS (Germany) Mr. VASSILENKO ( U k r a i n i a n S o v i e t S o c i a l i s t Republic) CONTENTS Q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n the occupied i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e (continued) Arab territories, The r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n to peoples under c o l o n i a l o r a l i e n domination o r f o r e i g n o c c u p a t i o n (continued) This record i s subject to c o r r e c t i o n . C o r r e c t i o n s should be submitted i n one of the working languages. They s h o u l d be s e t f o r t h i n a memorandum and a l s o i n c o r p o r a t e d i n a copy o f the record. They should be sent w i t h i n one week o f the date o f t h i s document to the O f f i c i a l Records E d i t i n g S e c t i o n , room E.4108, P a l a i s des N a t i o n s , Geneva. Any c o r r e c t i o n s t o the records o f the p u b l i c meetings of the Commission at t h i s s e s s i o n w i l l be c o n s o l i d a t e d i n a s i n g l e corrigendum, t o be i s s u e d s h o r t l y a f t e r the end o f the s e s s i o n . GE.91-10318/2974B E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 2 The meeting was called to o r d e r a t 10.25 a.m. QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES, INCLUDING PALESTINE (agenda i t e m 4) ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/CN.4/1991/6-8, 60-62 and 65; A/45/3, 13 and A d d . l , 35 and C o r r . l , 84, 306, 503, 576, 595, 608-614 and 726) THE RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO PEOPLES UNDER COLONIAL OR ALIEN DOMINATION OR FOREIGN OCCUPATION (agenda item 9) , ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/CN.4/1991/13 and 14; E/CN.4/1991/NG0/2; A/45/488) 1. Mr. FAN GUOXIANG ( C h i n a ) , r e f e r r i n g to the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , r e c a l l e d t h a t the C h a r t e r of the u n i t e d N a t i o n s p r o v i d e d t h a t one of the purposes of the O r g a n i z a t i o n was " t o develop f r i e n d l y r e l a t i o n s among n a t i o n s based on r e s p e c t f o r the p r i n c i p l e of equal r i g h t s and s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n of p e o p l e s " . The theory and p r a c t i c e of t h a t r i g h t had s t e a d i l y advanced. The U n i t e d N a t i o n s had adopted a number of important documents i n the f i e l d c o n c e m e d , such as the D e c l a r a t i o n on the G r a n t i n g of Independence to C o l o n i a l C o u n t r i e s and P e o p l e s , the D e c l a r a t i o n on the I n a d m i s s i b i l i t y of I n t e r v e n t i o n i n the Domestic A f f a i r s of S t a t e s and the P r o t e c t i o n of T h e i r Independence and S o v e r e i g n t y , and the D e c l a r a t i o n on P r i n c i p l e s of I n t e m a t i o n a l Law c o n c e m i n g F r i e n d l y R e l a t i o n s and C o - o p e r a t i o n among S t a t e s i n accordance w i t h the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . A l l those documents s e t f o r t h the b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s which s h o u l d guide the conduct of i n t e m a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s and the s e t t l e m e n t of major i n t e m a t i o n a l d i s p u t e s . 2. Guided by the p r i n c i p l e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , many n a t i o n s t h a t had long been s u b j e c t e d to f o r e i g n o p p r e s s i o n , e x p l o i t a t i o n and enslavement had c a s t o f f t h e i r yoke and won t h e i r independence. 3. H i s t o r y and r e a l i t y proved t h a t a p o p u l a t i o n s u b j e c t e d to f o r e i g n a g g r e s s i o n and o c c u p a t i o n c o u l d not a c h i e v e t o t a l p o l i t i c a l independence, n a t i o n a l s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , economic development o r s o c i a l s t a b i l i t y , not to speak of the enjoyment of human r i g h t s and fundamental freedoms, which n e c e s s a r i l y depended on the e x e r c i s e of the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . Over the y e a r s , the r e l e v a n t U n i t e d N a t i o n s organs, and the Commission on Human R i g h t s i n p a r t i c u l a r , had l a i d s t r e s s on the importance of t h a t r i g h t and adopted a s e r i e s of r e s o l u t i o n s i n support of the j u s t s t r u g g l e of the oppressed p e o p l e s . 4. The s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the Namibian people had l o n g been a major c o n c e m of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and the Commission. With the support of the A f r i c a n people and the r e s t of the i n t e m a t i o n a l community, the Namibian people had f i n a l l y secured t h e i r freedom and gained t h e i r independence i n March 1990. The Chinese Government and people had c o n s i s t e n t l y and f i r m l y supported the peoples of v a r i o u s c o u n t r i e s i n t h e i r s t r u g g l e f o r s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and independence, and they hoped t h a t the Namibian people would c o n t i n u e to s t r e n g t h e n t h e i r n a t i o n a l independence. 5. Through the u n r e m i t t i n g e f f o r t s of the i n t e m a t i o n a l community over the past decade, p o l i t i c a l s e t t l e m e n t of the Cambodian q u e s t i o n had a c h i e v e d a breakthrough i n 1990. In September of t h a t y e a r , the S e c u r i t y Coxmcil had adopted r e s o l u t i o n 668 (1990) and endorsed the framework documents of the programme f o r the comprehensive s e t t l e m e n t of the Cambodian c o n f l i c t agreed upon by the f i v e permanent members of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . H i s Government E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 3 a p p r e c i a t e d the e f f o r t s Conference i n P a r i s and that c o n t i n u e d p r o g r e s s the p a r t i e s m a i n t a i n i n g o b s t a c l e s i n the way of made by the co-chairmen of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l by the three Cambodian r e s i s t a n c e f o r c e s , and i t hoped would be made i n that d i r e c t i o n . I t a l s o hoped that a stubborn p o s i t i o n would s h o r t l y cease t o p l a c e a comprehensive p o l i t i c a l s e t t l e m e n t of the q u e s t i o n . 6. China r e g r e t t e d to see the c o n t i n u e d i l l e g a l o c c u p a t i o n of P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s by the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s and the c o n t i n u e d d e p r i v a t i o n o f the r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n people to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The I s r a e l i Government had suppressed the P a l e s t i n i a n u p r i s i n g i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s a t the c o s t o f c o u n t l e s s human l i v e s and had committed mass and f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n s of human r i g h t s . The Chinese Government f i r m l y supported the j u s t cause of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and hoped t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community would work f o r the e a r l y convening o f an i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e on the M i d d l e E a s t q u e s t i o n under U n i t e d N a t i o n s a u s p i c e s and w i t h the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of the f i v e permanent members o f the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l and o f a l l the p a r t i e s concerned. 7. H i s Government was opposed to I r a q ' s annexation of Kuwait, and i t urged the I r a q i Government t o respond to the appeals of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l commtinity, to implement the r e l e v a n t S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s and to withdraw i t s troops from Kuwait immediately and u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y i n o r d e r t o r e s t o r e the s o v e r e i g n t y , independence and t e r r i t o r i a l i n t e g r i t y of Kuwait and i t s l e g i t i m a t e Government. I t r e g r e t t e d the f a i l u r e of peace e f f o r t s and the i n a b i l i t y to a v o i d the G u l f war, b u t hoped t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community would c o n t i n u e i t s e f f o r t s to reach a s o l u t i o n to the G u l f c r i s i s . 8. The Chinese a u t h o r i t i e s r e a f f i r m e d t h e i r p o s i t i o n that i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s s h o u l d be based on the p r i n c i p l e s o f p e a c e f u l c o - e x i s t e n c e , mutual r e s p e c t f o r s o v e r e i g n t y and t e r r i t o r i a l i n t e g r i t y , n o n - a g g r e s s i o n , n o n - i n t e r f e r e n c e i n the i n t e r n a l a f f a i r s of o t h e r S t a t e s , and e q u a l i t y and mutual b e n e f i t . The i n t e r n a t i o n a l community must c o n t i n u e i t s e f f o r t s i n 1991 f o r the u n i v e r s a l r e a l i z a t i o n o f the p r i n c i p l e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 9. Mr. CHABALA (Zambia) s a i d that the e x i s t e n c e of f l a g r a n t and mass v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e was d e e p l y r e g r e t t a b l e and was one o f the main c h a l l e n g e s w i t h which the Commission s h o u l d be concerned. Since 1968, when the s i t u a t i o n o f hiunan r i g h t s i n those t e r r i t o r i e s had f i r s t come b e f o r e the Commission, the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n f o r c e s had c o n t i n u e d t h e i r p r a c t i c e s o f i l l e g a l d e t e n t i o n without t r i a l , mass a r r e s t s , t o r t u r e and k i l l i n g o f c i v i l i a n s , c o l l e c t i v e punishment, c l o s u r e o f s c h o o l s and u n i v e r s i t i e s , d e m o l i t i o n o f houses, c o n f i s c a t i o n of l a n d , e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f s e t t l e m e n t s , a t t a c k s on h o l y p l a c e s , d e p o r t a t i o n s and many o t h e r v i o l a t i o n s . Many b o d i e s , i n c l u d i n g the Conmission on Human R i g h t s , the Economic and S o c i a l C o u n c i l , UNRWA, the Committee on the E x e r c i s e o f the I n a l i e n a b l e R i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n People and the S p e c i a l Committee to I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g the Human R i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n People and o t h e r Arabs o f the Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s , had i s s u e d well-documented r e p o r t s on the q u e s t i o n . The S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l had a l s o submitted r e p o r t s to the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . Reference s h o u l d a l s o be made t o the i n v a l u a b l e i n v e s t i g a t o r y work and a n a l y t i c a l r e p o r t s o f the non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s and human r i g h t s defence groups. The I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had never r e f u t e d the contents o f those r e p o r t s . 10. The v i o l a t i o n s o f human r i g h t s committed i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s had been brought t o the a t t e n t i o n o f a l l Governments, the competent U n i t e d N a t i o n s E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 4 b o d i e s , the s p e c i a l i z e d a g e n c i e s , r e g i o n a l i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s and i n t e m a t i o n a l h u m a n i t a r i a n o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n accordance w i t h Commission r e s o l u t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g r e s o l u t i o n s 1990/2 A and and 1990/3, adopted by the Commission a t i t s f o r t y - s i x t h s e s s i o n . 11. The p o i n t was n o t to q u e s t i o n those v i o l a t i o n s , s i n c e there was overwhelming and i r r e f u t a b l e evidence of t h e i r o c c u r r e n c e . Nor was there any doubt t h a t the i n t e m a t i o n a l community was e n t i r e l y aware of the s i t t i a t i o n . No event c o u l d b e t t e r i l l u s t r a t e i t s s e r i o u s n e s s than the w i l f u l massacre of 31 P a l e s t i n i a n s on the esplanade of the A l - A q s a Mosque i n Jerusalem i n October 1990. 12. I t was s e l f - e v i d e n t t h a t the I s r a e l i p o l i c y of d e p o r t a t i o n s , which had claimed 1,365 v i c t i m s s i n c e 1967, was a f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e to the P r o t e c t i o n of C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time of War and of a number of S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g r e s o l u t i o n s 469 (1980), 484 (1980), 607 (1988) and 608 (1988). The settlement i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s of Jewish immigrants from the S o v i e t Union and elsewhere was a l s o i l l e g a l . What was most s i g n i f i c a n t was t h a t , d e s p i t e the p e r s i s t e n t , s y s t e m a t i c and i r r e f u t a b l e n a t u r e and the s e r i o u s n e s s and i l l e g a l i t y of those v i o l a t i o n s i n terms of the p r o v i s i o n s of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention, the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s , the two Intemational Covenants on Human R i g h t s and the Convention on the P r e v e n t i o n and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had c o n t i n u e d to d e f y the i n t e m a t i o n a l community's condemnation w i t h impunity. The intemational community had been rendered v i r t u a l l y impotent by the support g i v e n to I s r a e l by i t s major W e s t e m a l l i e s , w i t h t h e i r threatened or a c t u a l use of the v e t o i n the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . 13. The S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l had thus been unable to p r o v i d e p r o t e c t i o n to the P a l e s t i n i a n s a g a i n s t the human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s to which they were s u b j e c t e d , and had a l s o been prevented from a d o p t i n g e f f e c t i v e measures f o r a comprehensive and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n to the vinderlying p o l i t i c a l causes of the M i d d l e East problem. 14. I s r a e l ' s s y s t e m a t i c r e f u s a l to implement the Commission's r e s o l u t i o n s and S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) was based on the c o n v i c t i o n t h a t no i n t e m a t i o n a l s a n c t i o n s would be taken a g a i n s t i t so long as i t enjoyed the support and p r o t e c t i o n of i t s major W e s t e m a l l i e s . 15. S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) p r o v i d e d f o r I s r a e l ' s t m c o n d i t i o n a l withdrawal from a l l the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and the r i g h t of a l l coxmtries i n the M i d d l e E a s t , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l of c o u r s e , to l i v e w i t h i n secure b o u n d a r i e s . They a l s o p r o v i d e d f o r the convening of an i n t e m a t i o n a l peace conference w i t h the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of a l l the p a r t i e s concerned i n the M i d d l e East c o n f l i c t , i n c l u d i n g the P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n Organization. The s o l u t i o n to the c o n f l i c t a l s o depended on the establishment of an independent homeland f o r the P a l e s t i n i a n s . 16. A l l t h a t was needed to a r r i v e at t h a t s o l u t i o n was f o r the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l to ensure the f u l l implementation of the two aforementioned resolutions. F a i l u r e to do so would i m h a p p i l y c o n f i r m the c o n c e m f e l t about the a p p l i c a t i o n of double standards to s i m i l a r i n t e m a t i o n a l s i t u a t i o n s by c e r t a i n members of the C o u n c i l . The a p p l i c a t i o n of i n t e m a t i o n a l law and of the p r o v i s i o n s of i n t e m a t i o n a l conventions must be c o n s i s t e n t , comprehensive E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 5 and o b j e c t i v e . Those p r i n c i p l e s should a l s o a p p l y to human r i g h t s i s s u e s , without c o n s i d e r a t i o n of r a c e , r e l i g i o n or i d e o l o g y . The r e a l i z a t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e a s p i r a t i o n s of the peoples of the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , Namibia and South A f r i c a had been unduly d e l a y e d by the a p p l i c a t i o n of double standards. 17. In Zambia's view, i t was i n I s r a e l ' s i n t e r e s t to r e c o g n i z e the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and to a p p l y to them immediately the p r i n c i p l e s s e t f o r t h i n the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s and other i n t e r n a t i o n a l r i g h t s i n s t r u m e n t s . I s r a e l ' s s e c u r i t y would be b e t t e r served by p e a c e f u l c o - e x i s t e n c e w i t h i t s Arab neighbours than by i t s c o n t i n u e d dependence on i t s major a l l i e s . 18. In any event, the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community had to p r o v i d e p r o t e c t i o n to the P a l e s t i n i a n s u n t i l I s r a e l withdrew from the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . It was h i g h l y r e g r e t t a b l e t h a t the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l had so f a r been trnable to perform t h a t t a s k . Member S t a t e s , i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , s p e c i a l i z e d a g e n c i e s and non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s must a l s o p r o v i d e h u m a n i t a r i a n a s s i s t a n c e to the P a l e s t i n i a n s . 19. As the i n t i f a d a had shown, the cause and a s p i r a t i o n s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people c o u l d never be d e s t r o y e d by f o r c e . The Commission had a duty to s t r i v e f o r the r e a l i z a t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e a s p i r a t i o n s of the people of the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . 20. Mr. ZAFAR ( P a k i s t a n ) s a i d that s e l f - d e t e i r m i n a t i o n was the r a i s o n d'être of e v e r y n a t i o n S t a t e and r e p r e s e n t e d the formal e x p r e s s i o n of the c o l l e c t i v e w i l l of the p e o p l e . A d e n i a l of t h a t p r i n c i p l e l e d to the g r o s s e s t of i n j u s t i c e s and almost i n v a r i a b l y to c o n f l i c t s and v i o l e n c e . 21. D e s p i t e i t s c r u c i a l importance, the q u e s t i o n of the G u l f war, whose outcome would d e c i d e the f u t u r e of an e n t i r e r e g i o n , must not d i v e r t the Commission's a t t e n t i o n from the many o t h e r s i t i A a t i o n s i n the w o r l d where the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was b e i n g d e n i e d . 22. The f a c t t h a t t h a t r i g h t had been denied f o r so long to the 5 m i l l i o n i n h a b i t a n t s of Jammu and Kashmir was a tragedy f o r South A s i a . Time and a g a i n , the S e c u r i t y Covincil had a f f i r m e d t h a t the f i n a l d i s p o s i t i o n of the S t a t e of Jammu and Kashmir s h o u l d r e f l e c t the w i l l of the p e o p l e , as expressed i n a f r e e and i m p a r t i a l p l e b i s c i t e ^ d e r the a u s p i c e s of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . Such statements had been to no a v a i l . 23. The Kashmir d i s p u t e had had i t s b e g i n n i n g s i n the non-implementation of the p a r t i t i o n p r i n c i p l e s under which P a k i s t a n i t s e l f had e x e r c i s e d i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and become an independent S t a t e . I n d i a had brought that i s s u e b e f o r e the S e c u r i t y C o i m c i l on 1 January 1948 and then, as now, had h e l d P a k i s t a n r e s p o n s i b l e f o r c r e a t i n g d i s t u r b a n c e s i n Kashmir. The S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l had not endorsed the Indian p o s i t i o n and, i n i t s r e s o l u t i o n of 17 January 1948, had c a l l e d upon the p a r t i e s to improve the s i t u a t i o n and to r e f r a i n from any a c t s which might aggravate the s i t i A a t i o n . 24. Subsequently, I n d i a had lanched a f u l l - s c a l e m i l i t a r y o f f e n s i v e i n o r d e r to impose a s o l u t i o n i n Kashmir. The U n i t e d N a t i o n s Commission f o r I n d i a and P a k i s t a n had then been e s t a b l i s h e d by S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 39 (1948) of 20 January 1948, w i t h the d i r e c t i o n to proceed to the spot as q u i c k l y as E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page possible. The Commission had recommended a p l e b i s c i t e i n Kashmir. The p r o p o s a l had been accepted b o t h by I n d i a and by P a k i s t a n and the recommendation of the Commission had been adopted by a r e s o l u t i o n of 5 Jiinuary 19A9, which had p r o v i d e d " t h a t the q u e s t i o n of the a c c e s s i o n of the S t a t e of Jammu and Kashmir to I n d i a or P a k i s t a n w i l l be d e c i d e d through the democratic method of a f r e e and i m p a r t i a l p l e b i s c i t e " . S i n c e then, s u c c e s s i v e Indian Governments had reneged on t h a t commitment, r e s o r t i n g to the b a s e l e s s argtmient t h a t Kashmir was an i n t e m a l Indian problem about which the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l t h e r e f o r e had n o t h i n g to say. 25. E l e c t i o n s had a c t u a l l y been h e l d , but under the w a t c h f u l c o n t r o l of the Indian Army and i t s b a y o n e t s . The S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l had r e a c t e d to t h a t s i t u a t i o n i n i t s r e s o l u t i o n 122 (1957), which had r e c a l l e d t h a t "the f i n a l d i s p o s i t i o n of the S t a t e of Jammu and Kashmir w i l l be made i n accordance w i t h the w i l l of the people expressed through the democratic method of a f r e e and i m p a r t i a l p l e b i s c i t e conducted under the a u s p i c e s of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s " and s t a t e d , w i t h r e f e r e n c e to the e l e c t i o n s arranged by I n d i a , t h a t any a c t i o n taken by the c o n s t i t u e n t assembly "to determine the f u t u r e shape and a f f i l i a t i o n of the e n t i r e S t a t e or any p a r t t h e r e o f , or a c t i o n by the p a r t i e s c o n c e m e d i n support of any such a c t i o n by the assembly, would not c o n s t i t u t e a d i s p o s i t i o n of the S t a t e i n accordance w i t h the above p r i n c i p l e " . The f a c t t h a t fewer than 5 per cent of K a s h m i r i v o t e r s had turned out i n the e l e c t i o n s h e l d i n 1989 i n the t e r r i t o r y o c c u p i e d by I n d i a was a c l e a r demonstration of the p l o y by I n d i a to use those s o - c a l l e d e l e c t i o n s to j u s t i f y i t s o c c u p a t i o n of t h a t t e r r i t o r y by f o r c e . 26. The S i m l a Agreement of 1972 between P a k i s t a n and I n d i a had acknowledged t h a t the p r i n c i p l e s and purposes of the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s must g o v e m r e l a t i o n s between the two c o u n t r i e s and t h a t any attempt to deny P a k i s t a n the r i g h t to b r i n g the q u e s t i o n of Kashmir b e f o r e the U n i t e d N a t i o n s would be i n c o m p a t i b l e not o n l y w i t h the Agreement, but a l s o w i t h the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . A r t i c l e 103 of the C h a r t e r s t a t e d t h a t , "In the event of a c o n f l i c t between the o b l i g a t i o n s of the Members of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s tinder the ... C h a r t e r and t h e i r o b l i g a t i o n s under any o t h e r i n t e m a t i o n a l agreement, t h e i r o b l i g a t i o n s under the ... C h a r t e r s h a l l p r e v a i l " . 27. The s e t t l e m e n t of the problem of the S t a t e of Jammu and Kashmir had been d e l a y e d o n l y too long and the q u e s t i o n of the r i g h t of the people of t h a t S t a t e to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was now an urgent one. 28. H i s d e l e g a t i o n t h e r e f o r e hoped t h a t I n d i a would r e a l i z e t h a t i t had n o t h i n g to g a i n by s t i f l i n g the a s p i r a t i o n s of the people of Kashmir. His Government would continue i t s e f f o r t s to b r i n g about a p e a c e f u l s e t t l e m e n t of the problem i n the s p i r i t of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s and the S i m l a Agreement. 29. Mr· ROMARE (Sweden) s a i d t h a t human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s were a common f e a t u r e i n the M i d d l e E a s t , as i n many o t h e r p a r t s of the w o r l d . One of the u n d e r l y i n g problems was the l a c k of democracy i n most of the c o u n t r i e s concerned. 30. I s r a e l i democracy extended o n l y p a r t l y to the I s r a e l i A r a b s , who were s u b j e c t e d to d i s c r i m i n a t o r y treatment i n v a r i o u s f i e l d s . The P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n of the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s had no democratic r i g h t s whatever. E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 7 31. The I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n of S y r i a n and P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s dated from 1967 and the himian r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s had been on the Commission's agenda f o r many y e a r s . However, such v i o l a t i o n s continued year a f t e r year and had become more s e r i o u s , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e 1987, when the i n t i f a d a had begun. The l i s t of b r u t a l and v i o l e n t a c t s committed by the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n f o r c e s was r e g r e t t a b l y o n l y too f a m i l i a r . One of the most t r a g i c i n c i d e n t s i n r e c e n t months had taken p l a c e , i n Jerusalem on 8 October 1990, when P a l e s t i n i a n s had been f i r e d on by the s e c u r i t y f o r c e s and 19 had been k i l l e d . . 32. I s r a e l continued to s u b j e c t the P a l e s t i n i a n s to a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d e t e n t i o n measures which d i d not a l l o w f o r any independent j u d i c i a l examination and which had been a p p l i e d a g a i n s t a number of P a l e s t i n i a n moderates d e s p i t e t h e i r advocacy of d i a l o g u e w i t h I s r a e l . 33. There had a l s o been many d e p o r t a t i o n s , i n d e f i a n c e of a r t i c l e 49 of F o u r t h Geneva Convention and condemnations by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . 34. Most P a l e s t i n i a n u n i v e r s i t i e s had been c l o s e d s i n c e January 1988 s c h o o l s had a l s o been shut down on v a r i o u s o c c a s i o n s , thus d e p r i v i n g P a l e s t i n i a n s of the r i g h t to e d u c a t i o n . and the 35. Many P a l e s t i n i a n c h i l d r e n had been a f f e c t e d by the v i o l e n c e and b r u t a l methods used by the I s r a e l i occupying f o r c e s , as shown i n a study p u b l i s h e d i n 1990 w i t h the a s s i s t a n c e of the Swedish Radda Bamen o r g a n i z a t i o n . Many c h i l d r e n had been k i l l e d or c r i p p l e d f o r l i f e s i n c e the i n t i f a d a had begun. 36. There had a l s o been o t h e r forms of d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g the recent l a r g e - s c a l e p r o h i b i t i o n on v i s i t s to I s r a e l by P a l e s t i n i a n s , thus d e p r i v i n g them of t h e i r j o b s . 37. C o l l e c t i v e punishment of P a l e s t i n i a n s was p r o h i b i t e d by the F o u r t h Geneva Convention. common, even though i t was 38. A l l those human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s stemmed from the i m r e s o l v e d p o l i t i c a l c o n f l i c t . I t was n e a r l y 43 y e a r s s i n c e the S t a t e of I s r a e l had been c r e a t e d , and the P a l e s t i n i a n s s t i l l d i d not have t h e i r homeland. The r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n people to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n depended on a p o l i t i c a l s e t t l e m e n t of the i s s u e . I t was t h e r e f o r e n e c e s s a r y to convene a conference on the M i d d l e East which would be h e l d w i t h the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of a l l the p a r t i e s concerned, i n c l u d i n g the PLO, under the a u s p i c e s of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . 39. H i s d e l e g a t i o n hoped t h a t the s o l u t i o n of the G u l f c o n f l i c t on the b a s i s of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l ' s r e s o l u t i o n s would pave the way f o r a more comprehensive s o l u t i o n to the problem of the M i d d l e E a s t . From t h a t p o i n t of view, the P a l e s t i n i a n q u e s t i o n should c e r t a i n l y be g i v e n the h i g h e s t priority. Only a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n c o u l d guarantee c o n d i t i o n s of genuine r e s p e c t f o r human r i g h t s i n the r e g i o n . 40. Mr. BLACKWELL ( U n i t e d S t a t e s of A m e r i c a ) , r e f e r r i n g to agenda item 4, s a i d t h a t the q u e s t i o n of the v i o l a t i o n of human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s was a complex one which must be understood i n the c o n t e x t of the p r e s s i n g need f o r an o v e r a l l peace s e t t l e m e n t . H i s c o u n t r y would l i k e once E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 8 a g a i n to s t r e s s the importance and urgency o f resuming a process o f d i r e c t n e g o t i a t i o n s aimed a t a c h i e v i n g t h a t g o a l . I t had c a l l e d f o r r e s t r a i n t on a l l s i d e s and i t r e i t e r a t e d t h a t a p p e a l . 41. The U n i t e d S t a t e s c o u l d n o t and would n o t seek t o impose i t s own views r e g a r d i n g the n a t u r e o f a f i n a l s e t t l e m e n t . However, i t was c o n v i n c e d t h a t the n a t i o n s o f the r e g i o n s h o u l d a l s o r e f r a i n from s e e k i n g to d i c t a t e t o one another. I n s t e a d , they s h o u l d j o i n t o g e t h e r w i t h a l l o t h e r member c o u n t r i e s i n a c o l l e c t i v e s e a r c h f o r peace m o t i v a t e d by common c o n v i c t i o n s about the. v a l u e and worth o f i n d i v i d u a l human beings l i v i n g i n c i v i l s o c i e t y , as p r o c l a i m e d i n the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n o f Human R i g h t s and many o t h e r r i g h t s instruments adopted by the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . The l e a d e r s o f n a t i o n s had no moral r i g h t to i n c i t e o r p e r p e t r a t e h a t r e d and a n i m o s i t y . Rather, they had a moral r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o extend a f r i e n d l y hand to t h e i r neighbours and seek to promote f r i e n d s h i p and r e c o n c i l i a t i o n . 42. The U n i t e d S t a t e s deeply r e g r e t t e d t h a t the r e g i o n ' s h i s t o r y throughout the l a s t h a l f c e n t u r y had i n c l u d e d f a r too many h o s t i l e and v i o l e n t a c t s and i t understood t h a t the r e g i o n ' s i n h a b i t a n t s c o u l d n o t h e l p b e i n g s c a r r e d by those e v e n t s . However, the s e a r c h f o r peace r e q u i r e d t h a t a n i m o s i t y should be s e t a s i d e i n a mutual commitment to the e f f o r t t o seek enduring s o l u t i o n s . As a s t e p which would f a c i l i t a t e n e g o t i a t i o n s i n a s p i r i t of f r i e n d s h i p , i t was important t h a t the p a r t i e s should a c c o r d each o t h e r the good f a i t h and r e s p e c t which every human b e i n g b e l i e v e d he deserved. 43. The U n i t e d S t a t e s was deeply committed t o the w e l f a r e o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people. F o r 45 y e a r s , the U n i t e d S t a t e s Government had been the l a r g e s t c o n t r i b u t o r to the U n i t e d N a t i o n s R e l i e f and Works Agency f o r P a l e s t i n e Refugees i n the Near E a s t , and i t s c o n t r i b u t i o n had exceeded $65 m i l l i o n i n 1990. In a d d i t i o n , the U n i t e d S t a t e s had been a major source o f c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the programmes of p r i v a t e v o l u n t a r y o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n the West Bank and the Gaza S t r i p . 44. I t had l o n g been h i s country's p o s i t i o n t h a t s e t t l e m e n t a c t i v i t i e s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s were an o b s t a c l e to the achievement o f a j u s t and l a s t i n g peace and i t had r e p e a t e d l y urged the Government o f I s r a e l t o r e f r a i n from e s t a b l i s h i n g more s e t t l e m e n t s or expanding e x i s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t s . I s r a e l had a c l e a r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o m a i n t a i n law and o r d e r i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i n accordance w i t h the F o u r t h Geneva Convention of 1949, and a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to a d m i n i s t e r those t e r r i t o r i e s i n keeping w i t h the p r o v i s i o n s of t h a t Convention. The U n i t e d S t a t e s noted t h a t the Government of I s r a e l had begiin t a k i n g p o s i t i v e steps e a r l y i n the summer of 1990 to l i m i t c o n f r o n t a t i o n between the s e c u r i t y f o r c e s and the c i v i l i a n p o p u l a t i o n and to reduce the l e v e l of v i o l e n c e . U n f o r t t m a t e l y , i n the l a s t q u a r t e r o f the y e a r , a s e r i e s of i n c i d e n t s and c o n f r o n t a t i o n s had i n t e r r u p t e d what had appeared t o be a p o s i t i v e t r e n d and t e n s i o n s and v i o l e n c e had a g a i n i n c r e a s e d . 45. C i v i l v i o l e n c e d i d n o t c o n t r i b u t e to the s e a r c h f o r peace. The U n i t e d S t a t e s was c o n c e m e d about v i o l e n c e d i r e c t e d a t I s r a e l i c i v i l i a n s and s e c u r i t y p e r s o n n e l and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , about the unprovoked, deadly a t t a c k s on I s r a e l i c i v i l i a n s t h a t had i n c r e a s e d i n frequency towards the end o f 1990. The r i s e i n v i o l e n c e committed by P a l e s t i n i a n s a g a i n s t o t h e r P a l e s t i n i a n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s was a l s o a cause f o r alarm. E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 9 46. A t the same time, the U n i t e d S t a t e s was concerned about the use by the I s r a e l i s e c u r i t y f o r c e s o f e x c e s s i v e and o f t e n l e t h a l f o r c e a g a i n s t P a l e s t i n i a n s on s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s d u r i n g the past y e a r . In v o t i n g f o r S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 672 (1990) and 673 (1990), the U n i t e d S t a t e s had expressed i t s deep concern about the e x c e s s i v e use of f o r c e . I t had a l s o c l e a r l y and p u b l i c l y d e p l o r e d o t h e r I s r a e l i p r a c t i c e s , such as a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d e t e n t i o n of P a l e s t i n i a n s , the d e m o l i t i o n of d w e l l i n g s , and d e p o r t a t i o n s . In p a r t i c u l a r , i t had d e p l o r e d the d e c i s i o n to resimie d e p o r t a t i o n s of P a l e s t i n i a n s from the Gaza S t r i p , as r e f e r r e d to i n S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 681 (1990), and had s t r o n g l y urged I s r a e l to cease t h a t p r a c t i c e immediately and permanently. 47. H i s d e l e g a t i o n a l s o drew a t t e n t i o n to the v e r y r e a l and v e r y s e r i o u s s e c u r i t y problems t h a t I s r a e l had to cope w i t h . The p u r e l y o f f e n s i v e a t t a c k s I r a q was now c a r r y i n g out w i t h b a l l i s t i c m i s s i l e s o n - I s r a e l i p o p u l a t i o n c e n t r e s , and the r e s u l t i n g c i v i l i a n c a s u a l t i e s , were ample demonstration of the t h r e a t I s r a e l had f a c e d ever s i n c e i t s f o u n d a t i o n . During the past y e a r , r o c k e t a t t a c k s from beyond I s r a e l ' s b o r d e r s and i n f i l t r a t i o n by t e r r o r i s t s t h a t had l e d to l o s s o f l i f e among the i n h a b i t a n t s had been r e a l i t i e s t h a t I s r a e l i c i t i z e n s and o f f i c i a l s had been compelled t o d e a l w i t h d a i l y . The U n i t e d S t a t e s hoped t h a t , a t the c u r r e n t s e s s i o n , the Commission on Human R i g h t s would take account of those concerns and advance the s e a r c h f o r a comprehensive s o l u t i o n and genuine peace between I s r a e l and i t s n e i g h b o u r s . 48. The U n i t e d S t a t e s would n o t v o t e i n favour of one-sided r e s o l u t i o n s which s i n g l e d out I s r a e l ' s p o l i c i e s i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s and f a i l e d t o c a l l f o r equal r e s t r a i n t by the o t h e r p a r t i e s i n r e s p e c t i n g the p e r s o n a l s a f e t y and o t h e r human r i g h t s of I s r a e l i c i t i z e n s . Human r i g h t s were u n i v e r s a l and they a p p l i e d t o a l l men, women and c h i l d r e n on every c o n t i n e n t and i n every c o u n t r y , i n c l u d i n g the c i t i z e n s of I s r a e l and the P a l e s t i n i a n i n h a b i t a n t s of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . 49. Mr. PAGAC (Czech and Slovak F e d e r a l R e p u b l i c ) , r e f e r r i n g t o agenda item 4, s a i d t h a t , f o r the f i r s t time i n 45 y e a r s , h i s c o i m t r y had become a member o f the Commission. I t was perhaps sjmibolic t h a t the Czech and Slovak F e d e r a l R e p u b l i c had been e l e c t e d as a member of the Commission a t a time when i s s u e s of human r i g h t s and fundamental freedoms had such important r o l e to p l a y i n the democratic process i n that coxmtry. 50. H i s d e l e g a t i o n r e g r e t t e d that the s i t u a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s was s t i l l extremely tense and had d e t e r i o r a t e d f u r t h e r i n 1990, w i t h more d i f f i c u l t l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s , o u t b u r s t s o f v i o l e n c e and human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s becoming almost matters o f r o u t i n e . The events i n the M i d d l e East a l s o showed how the c o n f l i c t i n t h a t i m f o r t u n a t e r e g i o n c o u l d be used to cover up a g g r e s s i o n and o t h e r tmlawful a c t s by m a n i p u l a t i n g p u b l i c o p i n i o n and the f e e l i n g s of the Arab p o p u l a t i o n . 51. H i s Government was deeply concerned about the l a t e s t r e p o r t by the S p e c i a l Committee t o I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g the Htiman R i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n People and Other Arabs of the Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s and e s p e c i a l l y about the sad r e a l i t y t h a t , i n the year when the Convention on the R i g h t s o f the C h i l d had e n t e r e d i n t o f o r c e , many c h i l d r e n had been among the v i c t i m s o f murderous a c t s committed by both s i d e s . E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 10 52. A p r e c o n d i t i o n f o r the mutiial c o n f i d e n c e now so b a d l y l a c k i n g i n r e l a t i o n s between the Jewish and Arab p o p u l a t i o n s was t h a t I s r a e l should f u l f i l i t s i n t e r n a t i o n a l o b l i g a t i o n s under the 1907 Hague Convention and the F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e to the P r o t e c t i o n of C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time of War and t h a t i t should agree to co-operate w i t h the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . R e g r e t t a b l y , o l d s t e r e o t y p e s and p r e j u d i c e s which no l o n g e r corresponded to present r e a l i t i e s and needs s t i l l p r e v a i l e d and no common language had been found f o r the s t a r t of a c o n s t r u c t i v e d i a l o g u e . 53. No agreement had y e t been reached on an i n t e m a t i o n a l peace conference on the M i d d l e E a s t . H i s c o u n t r y was of the o p i n i o n t h a t any s o l u t i o n r e s u l t i n g from such a c o n f e r e n c e should c o n f i r m and guarantee the r i g h t of a l l S t a t e s , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , to e x i s t w i t h i n secure and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d b o r d e r s , as w e l l as the r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n people to self-determination. I t f e r v e n t l y hoped t h a t , when the G u l f war was o v e r , a l l i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s would become i n v o l v e d i n t h a t type of n e g o t i a t i o n and spare no e f f o r t to ensure t h a t the M i d d l e East made i t s i n d i s p e n s a b l e c o n t r i b u t i o n to the b u i l d i n g of a b r o a d e r , g l o b a l system of i n t e m a t i o n a l peace, s e c u r i t y and co-operation. 54. H i s c o u n t r y would l i k e to understand b e t t e r the u n d e r l y i n g causes of the c o n f l i c t s i n t h a t r e g i o n and intended to pursue a b a l a n c e d p o l i c y towards the Arab S t a t e s and I s r a e l , w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g i t s t r a d i t i o n a l f r i e n d l y r e l a t i o n s w i t h the Arab n a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n n a t i o n . In i t s o p i n i o n , the m o n i t o r i n g mechanisms and s p e c i a l procedures e s t a b l i s h e d by the U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n the f i e l d of human r i g h t s might, i f used i n the most o b j e c t i v e manner, c o n t r i b u t e to a process of n e g o t i a t i o n s aimed a t a comprehensive s o l u t i o n and a genuine and l a s t i n g peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t . 55. Mr. RECHETOV (Union of S o v i e t S o c i a l i s t R e p u b l i c s ) s a i d t h a t the s i t u a t i o n i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s had worsened i n r e c e n t months. L i k e many d e l e g a t i o n s and non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s b e f o r e , h i s d e l e g a t i o n condemned I s r a e l i v i o l a t i o n s of the human r i g h t s of the Arab p o p u l a t i o n i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . I t d i s a p p r o v e d of the a c t s of r e p r e s s i o n a g a i n s t the c i v i l i a n p o p u l a t i o n , the mass a r r e s t s , t o r t u r e and i l l - t r e a t m e n t of d e t a i n e e s , the murderous a c t i o n s a g a i n s t the P a l e s t i n i a n s and the continued a c t s of v i o l e n c e . The v i o l a t i o n s a f f e c t i n g c h i l d r e n were p a r t i c u l a r l y d i s t u r b i n g . A l l those a c t s were a s e r i o u s t h r e a t to peace. The S o v i e t Union had always approved c o n s i d e r a t i o n , by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , of the s i t u a t i o n i n the r e g i o n , and the r e s o l u t i o n s adopted by the C o u n c i l . 56. The I s r a e l i - A r a b c o n f l i c t arose out of the f a i l u r e of the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s to comply w i t h u n i v e r s a l l y r e c o g n i z e d hvmaan r i g h t s standards and to observe the F o u r t h Geneva Convention, and by t h e i r o p p o s i t i o n to n e g o t i a t i o n s f o r a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n . I t was caused, i n p a r t i c u l a r , by the f a c t t h a t the P a l e s t i n i a n people was denied the e x e r c i s e of i t s i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . I t was e s s e n t i a l f o r the p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t to break the v i c i o u s c i r c l e of v i o l e n c e and to endeavour to s o l v e the problems e x c l u s i v e l y by p o l i t i c a l means. The f i n a l stage i n a p o l i t i c a l d i a l o g u e c o u l d be an i n t e r n a t i o n a l conference on the Near East i n which the f i v e permanent members of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l would p a r t i c i p a t e together w i t h a l l i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s , i n c l u d i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n s . The S o v i e t Union was prepared to c o n t r i b u t e to such a s e t t l e m e n t process. E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 11 57. S e v e r a l d e l e g a t i o n s had r a i s e d the i s s u e of the e m i g r a t i o n to I s r a e l of Jews from E a s t e r n Europe, and i n p a r t i c u l a r from the S o v i e t Union. The USSR had r e p e a t e d l y s t a t e d i t s o p p o s i t i o n to the s e t t l i n g of immigrants i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s , as i t was c o n t r a r y to the r u l e s of i n t e r n a t i o n a l law, and had been a sponsor of the r e s o l u t i o n adopted on the s u b j e c t by the Commission a t i t s p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n . However, the departure of S o v i e t c i t i z e n s abroad was i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h the p r o v i s i o n s of the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s and the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenant on C i v i l and P o l i t i c a l R i g h t s , and c o u l d o n l y be r e s t r i c t e d under the c o n d i t i o n s set out i n those i n s t r u m e n t s . 58. The c r i s i s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s i l l u s t r a t e d the t r a g i c consequences t h a t c o u l d a r i s e from f a i l u r e to r e c o g n i z e the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The p r i n c i p l e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was the c o m e r - s t o n e of the h i e r a r c h y of the v a l u e s of n a t i o n s . A l l peoples should be a b l e f r e e l y to choose t h e i r d e s t i n y and the means of t h e i r development, on the u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t t h a t r i g h t should not be e x e r c i s e d to the detriment of other peoples. 59. E x e r c i s e of the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was a complex i s s u e : i t took the form of p o l i t i c a l independence, a l t h o u g h i t was a l s o a process of s t r e n g t h e n i n g n a t i o n a l d i g n i t y , c o n s o l i d a t i n g p o l i t i c a l autonomy, and d e v e l o p i n g the language and c u l t u r e . The attempts b e i n g made to i n t e r f e r e i n the f r e e development of peoples were i n a d m i s s i b l e . 60. D e n i a l of the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was a source of d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n i n the v a r i o u s r e g i o n s of the w o r l d , and i n t u r n the r e g i o n a l c o n f l i c t s threatened i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t a b i l i t y as a whole. The s i t u a t i o n i n the Near East was an example of t h a t . However, another a r e a of c o n f l i c t had r e c e n t l y appeared w i t h the a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t Kuwait by I r a q , which had d e p r i v e d the K u w a i t i people not o n l y of i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , but a l s o of the r i g h t to c a l l i t s e l f a p e o p l e . The consequences of t h a t a c t were t r a g i c , and as y e t u n f o r e s e e a b l e . 61. There were o t h e r more encouraging developments. A f t e r the Geirman people had f r e e l y expressed i t s e l f , the two German S t a t e s had r e u n i t e d ; t h a t event was of h i s t o r i c s i g n i f i c a n c e and would xmdoubtedly have a p o s i t i v e impact on the e v o l u t i o n of the world s i t u a t i o n . Elsewhere, the e x e r c i s e by the Namibian people of i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , under the a u s p i c e s of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , had g i v e n b i r t h to a new independent S t a t e , which had become a f u l l Member of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , and had l e d to a c e r t a i n s t a b i l i z a t i o n of the s i t u a t i o n i n southern A f r i c a . As f a r as the process of r e a c h i n g a s e t t l e m e n t on Cambodia was concerned, i t seemed t h a t the p o s i t i o n s of the p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t had come c l o s e r together and t h a t the e f f o r t s made by the permanent members of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , as w e l l as the i n i t i a t i v e s of o t h e r S t a t e s , had opened the way to c r e a t i n g an independent, n o n - a l i g n e d Cambodian S t a t e , even i f a l l the problems had not been s e t t l e d . His d e l e g a t i o n c o n s i d e r e d t h a t the Commission c o u l d , a t i t s c u r r e n t s e s s i o n , prepare a r e s o l u t i o n by consensus t h a t took i n t o accoimt the i n t e r e s t s of a l l p a r t i e s concerned and c o n t r i b u t e d to the process of a p e a c e f u l s e t t l e m e n t . H i s d e l e g a t i o n was prepared to work to t h a t end. In a d d i t i o n , the s i t u a t i o n i n A f g h a n i s t a n remained d i f f i c u l t , a l t h o u g h the Geneva Agreements had a p p a r e n t l y e s t a b l i s h e d a sound b a s i s f o r a s e t t l e m e n t . L a s t l y , his delegation had a p p r e c i a t e d the r e p o r t on the q u e s t i o n of the use of m e r c e n a r i e s as a means of v i o l a t i n g himaan r i g h t s and impeding the e x e r c i s e of the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , and endorsed the c o n c l u s i o n s and recommendations c o n t a i n e d i n the r e p o r t . E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 12 62. A number of d e l e g a t i o n s had expressed t h e i r c o n c e m about the e v o l u t i o n of the s i t u a t i o n i n the S o v i e t Union, and i n p a r t i c u l a r w i t h r e g a r d to r e l a t i o n s between the r e p u b l i c s and the c e n t r e . In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , he r e c a l l e d t h a t p e r e s t r o i k a was a d i f f i c u l t process t h a t r e q u i r e d time and s k i l l , and r a i s e d h i s t o r i c a l , socio-economic, l e g a l , e c o l o g i c a l , demographic, l i n g u i s t i c , c u l t u r a l and other problems. However, the C o n s t i t u t i o n of the USSR gave each r e p u b l i c the r i g h t to l e a v e the Union, and the manner i n which t h a t r i g h t c o u l d be e x e r c i s e d was d e t a i l e d i n s p e c i a l laws. The attempts b e i n g made to a v o i d a p p l y i n g c u r r e n t l e g i s l a t i o n on t h a t p o i n t o n l y generated a d d i t i o n a l t e n s i o n , and might l e a d people to commit t h o u g h t l e s s a c t s . A union t r e a t y t h a t would p r e c i s e l y d e f i n e the j u r i s d i c t i o n of the c e n t r e and of the r e p u b l i c s was c u r r e n t l y b e i n g s t u d i e d . The success of p e r e s t r o i k a depended not o n l y on the e f f o r t s made i n s i d e the c o u n t r y , but a l s o on the e x i s t e n c e of a c l i m a t e of c o n f i d e n c e among S t a t e s and the support of the i n t e m a t i o n a l community. 63. H i s d e l e g a t i o n was c o n v i n c e d t h a t the d e c i s i o n s taken by the Commission on Human R i g h t s a t the c u r r e n t s e s s i o n would c o n t r i b u t e to s t r e n g t h e n i n g the p r i n c i p l e s of freedom of c h o i c e and the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , thus e n s u r i n g a degree of s t a b i l i t y i n the w o r l d o r d e r . 64. Mr. ROA KOURI (Cuba), speaking on agenda item 4, s a i d t h a t d e s p i t e the hope t h a t had been expressed i n some q u a r t e r s , one y e a r p r e v i o u s l y , of a world f r e e from the n u c l e a r t h r e a t , from antagonism between the m i l i t a r y b l o c s and from the c o l d war, the p e r s i s t e n c e of l o n g - s t a n d i n g hotbeds of t e n s i o n i n A f r i c a and L a t i n America, the a g g r a v a t i o n of the s i t u a t i o n i n the M i d d l e East and the c o n f l i c t i n the G u l f , whose outcome was i n c r e a s i n g l y u n p r e d i c t a b l e , made i t n e c e s s a r y to e x e r c i s e the g r e a t e s t c i r c u m s p e c t i o n i n f o r e c a s t i n g f u t u r e w o r l d developments. 65. The year 1990 had not brought to the i n h a b i t a n t s of the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e , e i t h e r a s o f t e n i n g of the h a r s h emergency measures imposed by I s r a e l or an end to the b r u t a l r e p r i s a l s s y s t e m a t i c a l l y taken a g a i n s t m i l i t a n t s i n the i n t i f a d a and a g a i n s t the Arab p o p u l a t i o n i n general. T o r t u r e was p r a c t i s e d i n I s r a e l i p r i s o n s , as former P a l e s t i n i a n d e t a i n e e s had t e s t i f i e d ; i l l e g a l e x p u l s i o n s of Arab c i t i z e n s , above a l l of women and c h i l d r e n , were c o n t i n u i n g ; and the d e m o l i t i o n of houses was commonplace, b o t h i n the o c c u p i e d S y r i a n Golan, i n Gaza and i n the West Bank. In s p i t e of the repeated appeals by the i n t e m a t i o n a l community, c a l l i n g upon them to apply the F o u r t h Geneva Convention of 1949, as they were r e q u i r e d t o , the Z i o n i s t a u t h o r i t i e s continued to i n f r i n g e the Convention w i t h t o t a l impunity, under the p r o t e c t i o n of t h e i r s t r a t e g i c a l l i e s . 66. In the f a c e of the c o n t i n u a t i o n and i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e r e s i s t a n c e of the P a l e s t i n i a n s , I s r a e l i troops had demonstrated i m i v e r s a l l y condemned b r u t a l i t y . The massacres i n Rishon L e z i o n and i n the A l - A q s a Mosque i n May and October 1990 confirmed t h a t commitment to v i o l e n c e . The r e p o r t of the S p e c i a l Committee showed that over the f o u r years of the P a l e s t i n i a n u p r i s i n g , I s r a e l i troops had employed b l i n d v i o l e n c e - a s i g n of impotence on the p a r t of o p p r e s s o r s - which had r e c e n t l y i n t e n s i f i e d and become s y s t e m a t i c . 67. That p a t t e r n of v i o l e n c e was planned and a u t h o r i z e d by the I s r a e l i Government as a means not o n l y of "winning the war" but of p e r p e t u a t i n g the o c c u p a t i o n of P a l e s t i n e and other Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . The de-Arabization measures, e x p r o p r i a t i o n of land or other p r o p e r t y , e x p u l s i o n s , the i l l e g a l E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 13 e s t a b l i s h m e n t of I s r a e l i s e t t l e m e n t s and the s y s t e m a t i c use of t e r r o r a l s o had the same aim. Tension had reached an extremely dangerous p o i n t between August 1989 and August 1990. Unless urgent measures were taken to remedy the s e r i o u s human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s , t h a t sitxxation c o u l d l e a d to an enormous e x p l o s i o n i n the r e g i o n . 68. I t was no s e c r e t t h a t the o c c u p a t i o n of Arab t e r r i t o r i e s by the I s r a e l i Z i o n i s t s was o n l y made p o s s i b l e by the u n c o n d i t i o n a l support they had always r e c e i v e d from the U n i t e d S t a t e s , which p r o v i d e d arms and economic a s s i s t a n c e and p r o t e c t e d them w i t h i t s v e t o i n the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . The Government of the U n i t e d S t a t e s was c u r r e n t l y parading as the champion of the s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n of p e o p l e s , a l t h o u g h o n l y r e c e n t l y i t had f l o u t e d t h a t r i g h t i n a L a t i n American c o u n t r y and i n a c o u n t r y i n the C a r i b b e a n , and p r o c l a i m i n g the need to send m i s s i o n s of the Commission to i n v e s t i g a t e a l l e g e d human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s , whereas i t had prevented the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l from o r d e r i n g an i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o the massacres committed by i t s I s r a e l i a l l i e s a few months p r e v i o u s l y . Such h y p o c r i s y , the accomplice of the most unworthy causes, was p r e c i s e l y why the Commission had each y e a r to i n v e s t i g a t e , condemn and propose new urgent measures, t h a t were of course not a p p l i e d , r e g a r d i n g I s r a e l i p r a c t i c e s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . 69. Cuba c o n s i d e r e d t h a t i n o r d e r to a t t a i n a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n to the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t , whose o n l y cause was the q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e , i t was n e c e s s a r y to o r g a n i z e as q u i c k l y as p o s s i b l e a peace c o n f e r e n c e on the M i d d l e E a s t , h e l d under the a u s p i c e s of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and a t t e n d e d by a l l the i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s , e s p e c i a l l y I s r a e l and the P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n Organization. I t was a l s o n e c e s s a r y to demand t h a t I s r a e l s h o u l d a p p l y i n f u l l the F o u r t h Geneva Convention of 1949 i n a l l the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , as w e l l as a l l the General Assembly and S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g the M i d d l e E a s t and P a l e s t i n e . The dawning of a w o r l d f r e e d from the danger of war - be i t the c o l d war o r war i t s e l f - which had been o p t i m i s t i c a l l y h e r a l d e d the p r e v i o u s y e a r by many of the Commission's members, r e q u i r e d the r e s t o r a t i o n of the i n a l i e n a b l e n a t i o n a l r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people, and r e s p e c t f o r the d i g n i t y of man and the r i g h t of peoples to c o n t r o l t h e i r destiny. 70. Mr. SEMICHI (Observer f o r A l g e r i a ) , speaking on agenda item 4, wondered whether i t was s t i l l c o n c e i v a b l e , a f t e r more than 20 y e a r s , and a t a time when c o n f l i c t s i n the r e g i o n had reached an imprecedented l e v e l of g r a v i t y on account of the m a n i f e s t complaisance towards I s r a e l , the main f a c t o r of d i v i s i o n and a g g r e s s i o n i n t h a t p a r t of the w o r l d , t h a t the v i o l a t i o n of human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s s h o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d i n the same, somewhat r o u t i n e manner as i t had been f o r some time. The tragedy e x p e r i e n c e d by the P a l e s t i n i a n people was o n l y matched by the i m p l a c a b l e and ever-growing r e p r e s s i o n m e t h o d i c a l l y imposed upon i t by the I s r a e l i o c c u p y i n g f o r c e s . The e n d l e s s l i s t of c o l d - b l o o d e d crimes thus p e r p e t r a t e d c o n t i n u e d to l e n g t h e n : the e x e c u t i o n , on 8 October 1990, of P a l e s t i n i a n workers a t Rishon L e z i o n and the premeditated massacre c a r r i e d out by I s r a e l i s o l d i e r s and s e t t l e r s on the esplanade of the A l - A q s a Mosque, which had l e f t a t l e a s t 21 v i c t i m s and s e v e r a l himdred wounded. With t h e i r customary c y n i c i s m , the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had attempted to convince w o r l d p u b l i c o p i n i o n t h a t the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r those massacres l a y w i t h the v e r y people who had been massacred. E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 14 71. However, those i n c i d e n t s had o c c u r r e d j u s t a few days a f t e r the v i o l e n t and b l i n d a t t a c k on 21 September 1990 a g a i n s t the B u r e i j P a l e s t i n i a n refugee camp i n the Gaza S t r i p , which had claimed 180 v i c t i m s , and had moreover l e d to the d e s t r u c t i o n of 57 houses and shops and the a r r e s t of himdreds of people. S i m i l a r a c t s of t e r r o r had a l s o been r e g u l a r l y p e r p e t r a t e d i n o t h e r refugee camps. I s r a e l had so f a r r e f u s e d to comply w i t h S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 672 (1990), adopted unanimously, which had envisaged the sending of a m i s s i o n of i n q u i r y to the s i t e of the 8 October s h o o t i n g . S i n c e the b e g i n n i n g of the i n t i f a d a i n December 1987, those a c t s had been compounded by the dramatic e x p u l s i o n of P a l e s t i n i a n s from t h e i r homeland i n b l a t a n t v i o l a t i o n of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention of 1949, whose a p p l i c a b i l i t y to the p o p u l a t i o n s of the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s I s r a e l r e f u s e d to r e c o g n i z e . 72. Such p e r s i s t e n t d e n i a l of the fundamental and i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and of the o t h e r Arab p o p u l a t i o n s under I s r a e l i domination was based on a mistaken l o g i c charged w i t h dangers of a l l k i n d s f o r i n t e m a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y . I t was thus h a r d l y s u r p r i s i n g t h a t the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s c o n s i d e r e d the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , and p r o b a b l y o t h e r s they dreamt of annexing, as an i n t e g r a l p a r t of what they d e s c r i b e d as "Greater I s r a e l " . To r e a l i z e t h a t o b j e c t i v e , the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s pursued t h e i r p o l i c y of r e p l a c i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n s , whom they were d e l i b e r a t e l y d i s p l a c i n g , w i t h an i n c r e a s i n g number of Jewish immigrants, i n p a r t i c u l a r from the S o v i e t Union and o t h e r c o u n t r i e s i n E a s t e m Europe. Thus, a t the end of the p r e v i o u s y e a r , more than 200,000 s e t t l e r s had been i n s t a l l e d i n o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n e . A c c o r d i n g to c e r t a i n s o u r c e s , there were even p l a n s to i n s t a l l between 750,000 and 1 m i l l i o n new Jewish s e t t l e r s by the year 2000, which c o u l d o n l y h e r a l d new danger i n view of the e x p a n s i o n i s t ambitions of the Zionist State. 73. As the i n t e m a t i o n a l community had so f a r f a i l e d i n i t s attempts to compel I s r a e l to a b i d e by the law, and to promote a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n to the P a l e s t i n i a n problem, t h e r e were l e g i t i m a t e grounds f o r f e a r i n g an e x p l o s i o n throughout the M i d d l e E a s t . That p o s s i b i l i t y had moreover been r a i s e d by the P r e s i d e n t of the f o r t y - f i f t h s e s s i o n of the General Assembly a f t e r h i s v i s i t to the o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s i n January 1991. He had s a i d t h a t an i n t e r n a t i o n a l conference was more n e c e s s a r y than ever to ensure the f u t u r e of the r e g i o n and t h a t the time had come f o r t h a t conference to be h e l d . 74. A l g e r i a f u l l y supported the P a l e s t i n i a n people i n i t s h e r o i c i n t i f a d a and c a l l e d upon the i n t e m a t i o n a l community, and more p a r t i c u l a r l y the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , which was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the maintenance of i n t e m a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y , f u l l y to assume i t s mandate i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . I t was convinced t h a t a j u s t , g l o b a l and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n i n the Near East c o u l d not be a c h i e v e d without r e c o g n i t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e and i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and to b u i l d an independent S t a t e on i t s territory. The emergence of a new i n t e m a t i o n a l o r d e r , which A l g e r i a hoped f o r , l a r g e l y depended on the i n t e m a t i o n a l community's i m p a r t i a l and u n e q u i v o c a l e f f o r t s to r e a c h a j u s t s o l u t i o n f o r the P a l e s t i n i a n q u e s t i o n . A s e a r c h f o r an e f f e c t i v e s o l u t i o n depended e n t i r e l y on the s t r i c t implementation of i n t e m a t i o n a l norms, the t r u e guarantor of which was the United Nations. E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 15 75. Mr. AZIKIWE (Observer f o r N i g e r i a ) s a i d t h a t the optimism shovra by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community at the Commission's f o r t y - s i x t h s e s s i o n was no longer appropriate. Recent events i n the Gulf and i n o t h e r p a r t s of the w o r l d showed t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r d e r was s t i l l t h r e a t e n e d . The l e s s o n to be drawn from t h a t o b s e r v a t i o n was t h a t peace and s e c u r i t y were never a c q u i r e d once and for a l l . The Commission should c o n t i n u e to do i t s utmost to prevent d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , p r o t e c t m i n o r i t i e s and promote human r i g h t s . 76. His d e l e g a t i o n n o t e d w i t h concern that the s i t u a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n s i n the occupied Arab t e r r i t o r i e s was d e t e r i o r a t i n g . I t f i r m l y condemned the widespread and s y s t e m a t i c v i o l a t i o n s committed by I s r a e l , as d e s c r i b e d i n documents A/45/84, A/45/306 and A/45/576. I t c a l l e d on I s r a e l to implement the r e s o l u t i o n s of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l concerning I s r a e l i p r a c t i c e s a f f e c t i n g the human r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and o t h e r Arabs of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s as w e l l as the numerous r e s o l u t i o n s of the G e n e r a l Assembly. Moreover, I s r a e l should r e s p e c t the consensus among the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community r e g a r d i n g the a p p l i c a b i l i t y of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention to the i n h a b i t a n t s of the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . 77. There was no doubt t h a t the M i d d l e East q u e s t i o n was complex. Two p r i n c i p a l i s s u e s had to be taken i n t o account: the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n s to a homeland and the withdrawal of I s r a e l from a l l o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , and, on the other hand, the assurance of the e x i s t e n c e and s e c u r i t y of the S t a t e of I s r a e l . H i s d e l e g a t i o n c a l l e d f o r an i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e on the M i d d l e East to address a l l a s p e c t s of the problem w i t h a view to f i n d i n g a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n . A l l p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t should take p a r t i n t h a t c o n f e r e n c e . 78. The r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was fundamental and inalienable. Respect f o r that r i g h t was an e s s e n t i a l c o n d i t i o n f o r the observance and promotion of human r i g h t s . V i o l a t i o n s of the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n a f f e c t e d not o n l y the f u l l r e a l i z a t i o n of the r i g h t s of the i n d i v i d u a l , but a l s o the n a t u r e of i n t e r - S t a t e r e l a t i o n s . A r t i c l e 1 (2) of the C h a r t e r c l e a r l y s t a t e d t h a t one of the purposes of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s was "to develop f r i e n d l y r e l a t i o n s among n a t i o n s based on r e s p e c t f o r the p r i n c i p l e of equal r i g h t s and s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n of p e o p l e s " . 79. His d e l e g a t i o n c a l l e d on the Commission to condemn a l l p r a c t i c e s which impeded the e x e r c i s e of the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and to ensure the a p p l i c a t i o n of t h a t p r i n c i p l e i n southern A f r i c a , the M i d d l e East and the Gulf region. With r e g a r d to Kuwait, which was a s o v e r e i g n and independent n a t i o n , N i g e r i a c a l l e d f o r the u n c o n d i t i o n a l withdrawal of the o c c u p y i n g f o r c e s so that the people of Kuwait c o u l d again e x e r c i s e i t s i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t to self-determination. 80. Rather than r e s o r t i n g to f o r c e , which d i d not s o l v e problems, and which l e d to t e r r i b l e s u f f e r i n g , the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community should l e a r n to s e t t l e c o n f l i c t s i n a c i v i l i z e d manner, through d i a l o g u e and n e g o t i a t i o n . L a s t l y , he r e a f f i r m e d the l e g i t i m a c y of the s t r u g g l e of peoples f o r t h e i r r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , independence, t e r r i t o r i a l i n t e g r i t y , n a t i o n a l u n i t y and l i b e r a t i o n from c o l o n i a l domination, a p a r t h e i d and a l l forms of f o r e i g n occupation. The enjoyment of the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was e s s e n t i a l f o r world peace, s e c u r i t y and s t a b i l i t y . E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 16 81. Mr. ALEX (Observer f o r Ltixembourg), speaking on b e h a l f of the European Communities, s a i d t h a t events i n the Gulf r e g i o n should n o t prevent the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community from c o n t i n u i n g t o pay c l o s e a t t e n t i o n t o developments i n the I s r a e l i - A r a b c o n f l i c t and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , the r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . The Twelve were c o n c e m e d by the marked d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f the s i t u a t i o n i n the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s occupied by I s r a e l . That d e t e r i o r a t i o n , a f t e r some 20 years of I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n and almost 3 years a f t e r the s t a r t of the P a l e s t i n i a n u p r i s i n g , made a n e g o t i a t e d s o l u t i o n to the I s r a e l i - A r a b c o n f l i c t even more u r g e n t . 82. D e s p i t e the many appeals made i n r e c e n t y e a r s by the i n t e m a t i o n a l community, i n c l u d i n g the Twelve, I s r a e l had n o t h a l t e d i t s c o l l e c t i v e r e p r i s a l s , such as d e s t r u c t i o n o f houses o r r e s t r i c t i o n s on freedom o f movement. The Twelve had r e p e a t e d l y condemned the e x p u l s i o n and d e p o r t a t i o n measures taken by I s r a e l i n c o n t r a v e n t i o n o f a r t i c l e 49 o f the F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e t o the P r o t e c t i o n of C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time o f War. They urged I s r a e l t o a c t i n a manner c o n s i s t e n t w i t h i t s o b l i g a t i o n s iinder t h a t Convention. In g e n e r a l , they c o n s i d e r e d t h a t I s r a e l should co-operate w i t h the U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n t h a t a r e a . 83. They a l s o r e g r e t t e d t h a t I s r a e l had n o t c a r r i e d out r e s o l u t i o n 1990/1, adopted a t the f o r t y - s i x t h s e s s i o n of the Commission on Human R i g h t s , which had c a l l e d upon i t t o stop s e t t l i n g new immigrants i n the o c c u p i e d territories. Furthermore, the Twelve hoped t h a t the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a c e a s e - f i r e would n o t e n t a i l an i n c r e a s e o f r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . They n o t e d t h a t , i n any event, the c e a s e - f i r e must remain an e x c e p t i o n a l measure i n f o r c e f o r a l i m i t e d time. Being c o n v i n c e d t h a t v i o l e n c e begat v i o l e n c e , the Twelve condemned any use of f o r c e by any party. In t h a t c o n t e x t , they d e p l o r e d the a c t s o f v i o l e n c e committed a g a i n s t I s r a e l i c i v i l i a n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . 84. With r e g a r d t o the P a l e s t i n i a n q u e s t i o n , the Twelve a f f i r m e d the r i g h t of a l l S t a t e s i n the r e g i o n , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , to s e c u r i t y - i n o t h e r words, the r i g h t t o l i v e w i t h i n secure r e c o g n i z e d and giiaranteed f r o n t i e r s . They a l s o r e c o g n i z e d the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , w i t h a l l t h a t t h a t i m p l i e d . 85. L a s t l y , the European Communities and t h e i r member S t a t e s , which had p o l i t i c a l , economic and c u l t u r a l t i e s w i t h the contries and peoples of the M i d d l e E a s t r e g i o n , c o u l d n o t remain i n d i f f e r e n t t o the s e r i o u s events t h a t had o c c u r r e d s i n c e 2 August 1990, which had adverse consequences n o t o n l y f o r peace and s e c u r i t y b u t a l s o f o r r e s p e c t f o r r i g h t s i n the r e g i o n . In t h e i r view, i t was more important than ever t o pursue e f f o r t s t o e s t a b l i s h a dialogue leading to a l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n . 86. Mr. WALDEN (Observer f o r I s r a e l ) s a i d he was once a g a i n s o r r y to note t h a t none o f the speakers on agenda items 4 and 9 had put forward a s i n g l e new argument s i n c e those items had been nder d i s c u s s i o n by the Commission o r even attempted to respond t o any o f the p o i n t s r a i s e d by the I s r a e l i d e l e g a t i o n a t p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n s . The o n l y new f e a t u r e was the f a c t t h a t the members of the Commission on R i g h t s i n c l u d e d I r a q , a coiuitry about which much would be s a i d d u r i n g the c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f agenda item 12 (b) b u t which, i n the meantime, was among those s i t t i n g i n judgement on I s r a e l ' s r i g h t s record. That t o t a l l y s u r r e a l i s t s c e n a r i o showed t h a t t r u t h was sometimes s t r a n g e r than f i c t i o n . E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 17 87. The apparent theme of a l l the statements made by most Arab d e l e g a t i o n s under items 4 and 9 was the r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s , but i n r e a l i t y those statements concerned what those d e l e g a t i o n s regarded as the a b s o l u t e i l l e g i t i m a c y of I s r a e l ' s e x i s t e n c e . The r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s which those c o u n t r i e s were o s t e n s i b l y d e f e n d i n g i n f a c t b o i l e d down f o r them to the b a s i c r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n s to wipe I s r a e l o f f the map. I t was no s e c r e t to anybody t h a t , f o r almost a l l the Arab w o r l d , the v e r y e x i s t e n c e of I s r a e l was a d e n i a l of the r i g h t s of Arabs and P a l e s t i n i a n s . In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , i t would be i n t e r e s t i n g to know whether the PLO, which had p r o c l a i m e d i t s r e a d i n e s s to r e c o g n i z e I s r a e l ' s e x i s t e n c e , was a l s o ready to r e p u d i a t e the statement made by i t s I r a q i a l l i e s a c c o r d i n g to which they i n t e n d e d to l i b e r a t e P a l e s t i n e from r a c i s t Z i o n i s t domination. Was the PLO a l s o prepared to condemn the bombing of I s r a e l i c i t i e s by the I r a q i s , the s o l e purpose of which was to t e r r o r i z e the p o p u l a t i o n of I s r a e l and drag I s r a e l i n t o the G u l f war? O b v i o u s l y , not o n l y would the PLO l e a d e r s not condemn those a c t s but they f u l l y supported I r a q ' s a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t I s r a e l as w e l l as i t s a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t Kuwait. They thus u n v e i l e d t h e i r t r u e aims and had abandoned a l l pretence of s e e k i n g a p e a c e f u l s e t t l e m e n t w i t h I s r a e l . 88. With r e g a r d to the t e r r i t o r i e s themselves, c e r t a i n h i s t o r i c a l f a c t s s h o u l d be r e c a l l e d : the s l o g a n p r o c l a i m e d by those who had p r e c i p i t a t e d the " s i x - d a y war" i n 1967 had not been " l i b e r a t e the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s " , f o r I s r a e l had not y e t been i n the t e r r i t o r i e s , but to r e g a i n the A l - A q s a Mosque and to " l i b e r a t e P a l e s t i n e " , i n o t h e r words to e l i m i n a t e the S t a t e of I s r a e l . That was a l s o the aim of the " P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n " , s e t up i n 1964, or t h r e e years b e f o r e I s r a e l had a r r i v e d i n the t e r r i t o r i e s . Since then, I s r a e l had never ceased to p r o c l a i m i t s d e s i r e to make peace w i t h a l l Arab S t a t e s and w i t h the P a l e s t i n i a n i n h a b i t a n t s of the t e r r i t o r i e s through n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h them, s i n c e n e g o t i a t i o n was one of the p r i m a r y means of s e t t l i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l d i s p u t e s , as l a i d down i n A r t i c l e 33 of the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . I s r a e l had i n f a c t f o r m a l l y committed i t s e l f to n e g o t i a t i n g w i t h the Arab S t a t e s and w i t h e l e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s by v i r t u e of the Camp David a c c o r d s , under which i t had r e t u r n e d to Egypt the S i n a i P e n i n s u l a , r e p r e s e n t i n g some 90 per cent of the t e r r i t o r i e s taken i n 1967. However, the PLO and the r e s t of the Arab w o r l d had r e j e c t e d the peace t r e a t y between I s r a e l and Egypt. Under t h e i r i n f l u e n c e , the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , the v e r y organ founded to promote w o r l d peace, had a l s o r e p u d i a t e d the t r e a t y and had r e f u s e d , as indeed i t was s t i l l r e f u s i n g , i t s a l l o t t e d r o l e i n the implementation of t h a t a c c o r d . As f o r the o t h e r Camp David agreement, r e l a t i n g to the f u t u r e of the t e r r i t o r i e s , i t had sparked o f f the same r e a c t i o n from the time of i t s s i g n a t u r e , and the r e j e c t i o n of i t s p r o v i s i o n s c o n t i n u e d to be a fvindamental p r i n c i p l e of PLO and Arab t h i n k i n g . That r e j e c t i o n was e x p l a i n e d by the f a c t t h a t the agreement had p r o v i d e d e x p r e s s l y f o r n e g o t i a t i o n s between I s r a e l and the Arab S t a t e s and w i t h the e l e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the P a l e s t i n i a n A r a b s , which i m p l i e d r e c o g n i t i o n of I s r a e l ' s e x i s t e n c e . The Arab S t a t e s and the PLO had not a t the time been ready, and were s t i l l not ready, to a c c e p t t h a t c o n d i t i o n , which was why they were c a l l i n g f o r the convening of an i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e . However, I s r a e l c o n t i n u e d to b e l i e v e t h a t peace c o u l d be a c h i e v e d o n l y through d i r e c t n e g o t i a t i o n s between f u l l and equal r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , and not through the i n t e r v e n t i o n of an i n d e f i n i t e number of i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s , each w i t h i t s own axe to g r i n d . E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 18 89. With regard to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , the t o p i c of agenda item 9, the PLO c o u l d c l e a r l y no longer p r e t e n d to be an upholder of t h a t p r i n c i p l e , g i v e n the enthusiasm w i t h which i t had welcomed the i n v a s i o n and d e s p o l i a t i o n of Kuwait by I r a q and i t s s a t i s f a c t i o n a t s e e i n g K u w a i t i s d e p r i v e d of the r i g h t s which i t claimed f o r the P a l e s t i n i a n s . Such d u p l i c i t y s h o u l d , and p r o b a b l y would, make i t i m p o s s i b l e f o r anyone to take the PLO s e r i o u s l y a g a i n as an a c t o r on the i n t e m a t i o n a l scene. Moreover, i f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was taken to mean the r i g h t o f peoples to determine t h e i r own f u t u r e , then t h a t r i g h t was e x p r e s s l y r e c o g n i z e d by the Camp David a c c o r d s . I t had n o t been p o s s i b l e to execute the p l a n put forward by Mr. Shamir i n 1990 f o r implementing those accords because o f the p r e s s u r e e x e r t e d on I s r a e l t o n e g o t i a t e , n o t w i t h the e l e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s , b u t w i t h the PLO which, w i t h the support o f the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , had p r o c l a i m e d i t s e l f " s o l e l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f the P a l e s t i n i a n s " when i n f a c t i t had imposed i t s a u t h o r i t y on the i n h a b i t a n t s of the t e r r i t o r i e s s o l e l y by t e r r o r and had even had some 300 Arabs i n the t e r r i t o r i e s executed on the grounds o f a l l e g e d " c o l l a b o r a t i o n " w i t h I s r a e l i f o r c e s , by which i t meant a r e f u s a l t o do the PLC's b i d d i n g . Everyone, i n c l u d i n g Arab l e a d e r s , now knew the t r u e n a t u r e o f the PLO and o f i t s l e a d e r s and t h e i r new f r i e n d s : Saddam H u s s e i n , Abu Abbas, Abu N i d a l , Habash, Hawatmeh and a l l the o t h e r s w i t h whom they wanted I s r a e l to negotiate. Recent events had shown the f u t i l i t y o f t r y i n g to s e t t l e the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t i n t h a t manner. The PLO had brought n o t h i n g b u t d i s a s t e r on the P a l e s t i n i a n s . I t s support o f Iraq's o c c u p a t i o n o f Kuwait was o n l y the l a t e s t c o l o s s a l m i s t a k e i n a long h i s t o r y of e r r o r s , and the P a l e s t i n i a n s would have no chance o f a c h i e v i n g a n y t h i n g u n t i l they r i d themselves o f t h a t i n c u b u s . 90. Pending the r e s u l t s of n e g o t i a t i o n s on the t e r r i t o r i e s , I s r a e l was o b l i g e d to c o n s i d e r i t s own s e c u r i t y , as w e l l as the w e l f a r e o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s l i v i n g i n the t e r r i t o r i e s . The I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s indeed a p p l i e d - and i t mattered l i t t l e whether they d i d so de f a c t o o r de j u r e - the p r o v i s i o n s o f the F o u r t h Geneva Convention, b u t the c u r r e n t s i t u a t i o n compelled them t o adopt measures which might seem unduly h a r s h but were unavoidable. I t was n o t t r u e t h a t the curfew t h a t had been imposed i n the t e r r i t o r i e s s i n c e the outbreak o f the G u l f war was so s t r i c t as t o prevent the P a l e s t i n i a n Arabs from r e s u p p l y i n g themselves w i t h b a s i c needs, i n c l u d i n g f o o d , s i n c e food and medicine were d i s t r i b u t e d t o them. I t was however c l e a r t h a t , g i v e n the t h r e a t s made by v a r i o u s P a l e s t i n i a n groups, and above a l l the PLO, even b e f o r e the outbreak o f h o s t i l i t i e s , I s r a e l had u n f o r t u n a t e l y been o b l i g e d t o take s t r i n g e n t measures t o p r o t e c t i t s c i t i z e n s , many of whom were the v i c t i m s of a g g r e s s i o n by the Arabs which was p r a c t i c a l l y n e v e r mentioned i n the media o r the Commission. F o r i n s t a n c e , speakers who had r e f e r r e d t o the Temple Mount i n c i d e n t , when 17 P a l e s t i n i a n s had been k i l l e d , had f a i l e d to mention t h a t i t had been p r e c i p i t a t e d by the throwing of rocks by thousands of P a l e s t i n i a n s a t Jewish worshippers a t the W e s t e m W a l l . In response t o such a c t s of v i o l e n c e , I s r a e l had an o b l i g a t i o n t o m a i n t a i n o r d e r , as s t a t e d i n a r t i c l e 64 o f the F o u r t h Geneva Convention and a r t i c l e 43 of the R e g u l a t i o n s annexed to the Hague Convention of 1907. I t s h o u l d , however, be emphasized t h a t I s r a e l i s o l d i e r s had r e c e i v e d s t r i c t i n s t r u c t i o n s c o n c e m i n g the use of f i r e a r m s , to which they c o u l d have r e c o u r s e o n l y as a l a s t r e s o r t and o n l y when t h e i r l i v e s were endangered. I t was t r u e t h a t abuses had sometimes been committed and t h a t c e r t a i n s o l d i e r s had n o t f o l l o w e d the o r d e r s r e c e i v e d . In e v e r y such c a s e , however, an i n v e s t i g a t i o n had been c a r r i e d out and the c u l p r i t s punished. I t should a l s o be s t a t e d t h a t , c o n t r a r y to c e r t a i n a l l e g a t i o n s , those r e s i d e n t s of the t e r r i t o r i e s who were suspected of having E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 19 committed s e c u r i t y o f f e n c e s were a f f o r d e d a l l guarantees of due process under i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and the humanitarian p r o v i s i o n s of the Geneva Conventions. Such persons c o u l d a l s o p e t i t i o n the High Court of J u s t i c e , thus guaranteeing the maintenance of the r u l e of law. At times i t had been n e c e s s a r y to r e s o r t to a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d e t e n t i o n measures f o r s e c u r i t y reasons, but t h a t had been done i n s t r i c t accordance w i t h a r t i c l e 78 of the F o u r t h Geneva C o n v e n t i o n . I t should a l s o be emphasized t h a t a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d e t e n t i o n was not i n t e n d e d as a punishment f o r v i o l a t i o n s committed, but r a t h e r to prevent the persons concerned from committing o t h e r i l l e g a l a c t s d i r e c t l y endangering p u b l i c o r d e r , s e c u r i t y and the l i v e s of innocent people. 91. L a s t l y , i t was important to note t h a t , under a s p e c i a l agreement w i t h the ICRC, r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h a t o r g a n i z a t i o n c o u l d make r e g u l a r v i s i t s to d e t a i n e e s , t h a t ICRC d o c t o r s were p e r m i t t e d to examine any d e t a i n e e s who complained of improper treatment and t h a t t h e i r r e p o r t s were promptly d e l i v e r e d to the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s . Any complaint of t h a t k i n d was i n v e s t i g a t e d t h o r o u g h l y and the ICRC was informed of the f i n d i n g s . As to e x p u l s i o n s , they were s t r i c t l y l i m i t e d to cases i n which the presence of the persons i n q u e s t i o n i n the t e r r i t o r i e s a d m i n i s t e r e d by I s r a e l c o n s t i t u t e d a t h r e a t to p u b l i c s e c u r i t y . 92. His d e l e g a t i o n wished to emphasize t h a t I s r a e l was the f i r s t to want a permanent s e t t l e m e n t to the I s r a e l i - A r a b c o n f l i c t which would enable a l l peoples i n the r e g i o n to l i v e i n peace and harmony. That might perhaps be p o s s i b l e when c o u n t r i e s such as I r a q and S y r i a had l e a d e r s who wished to l i v e i n peace w i t h I s r a e l and not to d e s t r o y i t , when the P a l e s t i n i a n s chose r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s who d i d not dream of the day when they would r e t a k e H a i f a , T e l Aviv and Jerusalem from I s r a e l , and when c e r t a i n well-meaning c o u n t r i e s r e a l i z e d t h a t f a c e - t o - f a c e n e g o t i a t i o n s between p a r t i e s who a l l g e n u i n e l y sought peace were the o n l y means of a c h i e v i n g such a s e t t l e m e n t . I t was to be hoped t h a t t h a t day would not be f a r removed. 93. Mr. Vassilenko (Ukrainian Soviet S o c i a l i s t Republic) took the Chair. 94. Mr. LAMBERT ( P a r l i a m e n t a r y A s s o c i a t i o n f o r Euro-Arab C o - o p e r a t i o n ) s a i d t h a t , d u r i n g v i s i t s to the M i d d l e E a s t and p a r t i c u l a r l y to I s r a e l and the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s i n 1990, r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the P a r l i a m e n t a r y A s s o c i a t i o n f o r Euro-Arab C o - o p e r a t i o n (PAEAC) had observed the many human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s b e i n g committed by the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s a g a i n s t the Palestinians. One example was the c l o s u r e of P a l e s t i n i a n u n i v e r s i t i e s , a measure i n t r o d u c e d i n e a r l y 1988 and r e g u l a r l y extended s i n c e then, d e s p i t e b e i n g c o n t r a r y to a r t i c l e 50 of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention; i t r e p r e s e n t e d a c o l l e c t i v e punishment a g a i n s t more than 15,000 s t u d e n t s and s e r i o u s l y compromised the p r o f e s s i o n a l f u t u r e of s e v e r a l g e n e r a t i o n s . 95. The s i t u a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n people was even more d i s t u r b i n g today, f o r i n a d d i t i o n to a l l the u s u a l forms of p e r s e c u t i o n , i t had been hard h i t by the G u l f c r i s i s . I t had been d e p r i v e d of the income from r e m i t t a n c e s sent by P a l e s t i n i a n s working abroad, the e a r n i n g s from P a l e s t i n i a n e x p o r t s to the Gulf c o u n t r i e s through Jordan and the wages of 20,000 day workers who had been f o r b i d d e n by the I s r a e l i Government to e n t e r I s r a e l to work s i n c e October. Moreover, the v e r y s t r i c t 24-hour curfew imposed i n the Gaza S t r i p s i n c e 15 January and i n the West Bank s i n c e 17 Janviary was l i k e l y to have t r a g i c consequences f o r 1.7 m i l l i o n P a l e s t i n i a n s who c o u l d no l o n g e r l e a v e t h e i r homes to a c q u i r e f r e s h s u p p l i e s , r e c e i v e m e d i c a l care o r , i n the case of E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 20 farmers, h a r v e s t t h e i r c r o p s . There was a l s o a t o t a l l a c k of p r o t e c t i o n f o r the P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . The c l o s u r e of many f o r e i g n c o n s u l a t e s d e p r i v e d the P a l e s t i n i a n s , a t a c r i t i c a l j u n c t u r e , of a s u b s t a n t i a l f o r c e of o n l o o k e r s who, simply by t h e i r presence, p r o t e c t e d them from v a r i o u s p o s s i b l e abuses by the I s r a e l i army and I s r a e l i s e t t l e r s . L a s t l y , not a l l P a l e s t i n i a n s had the gas masks d i s t r i b u t e d to the p o p u l a t i o n s i n c e the s t a r t of the war o r the n e c e s s a r y m e d i c i n e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y a t r o p i n e . On the b a s i s of a l l those f a c t s , t o g e t h e r w i t h the resurgence of hiunan r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i t c o u l d be s t a t e d t h a t the e n t i r e P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n had been taken hostage by the I s r a e l i Government. 96. A c c o r d i n g l y , PAEAC and a l l the non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s members of the I n t e m a t i o n a l C o - o r d i n a t i n g Committee f o r NGOs on the Q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e appealed to the Commission on Human R i g h t s to take urgent a c t i o n to ensure the immediate l i f t i n g of the c e a s e - f i r e imposed i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , which i n i t s view was more of a c o l l e c t i v e punishment than a p r e c a u t i o n a r y measure and was t h e r e f o r e a v i o l a t i o n of the o c c u p i e r ' s o b l i g a t i o n to m a i n t a i n a b a l a n c e between i t s own s e c u r i t y needs and the w e l f a r e of the l o c a l p o p u l a t i o n . PAEAC a l s o c a l l e d f o r s t e p s to be taken to ensure the i n t e m a t i o n a l p r o t e c t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n ' a g a i n s t the e f f e c t s of the war and a g a i n s t the v i o l e n c e i n f l i c t e d on i t by the occupying Power. To t h a t end, persons s h o u l d be sent to the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s to observe the s i t u a t i o n , and the l o c a l s t a f f of o r g a n i z a t i o n s such as UNRWA, the I n t e m a t i o n a l Committee of the Red Cross and the O f f i c e of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s High Commissioner f o r Refugees s h o u l d be r e i n f o r c e d . 97. PAEAC, t o g e t h e r w i t h a l l the o t h e r NGOs c o n c e m e d by the q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e , had s i n c e 1983 been a d v o c a t i n g the o r g a n i z a t i o n of an i n t e m a t i o n a l Middle E a s t peace c o n f e r e n c e i n accordance w i t h U n i t e d N a t i o n s General Assembly r e s o l u t i o n 38/58 C. I t supported the i d e a of convening an i n t e m a t i o n a l conference on the q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e i n accordance w i t h the terms of General Assembly r e s o l u t i o n 43/176 of 15 December 1988, w i t h a view to e s t a b l i s h i n g a j u s t and l a s t i n g peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t . PAEAC urged the Commission on Human R i g h t s to c a l l upon the General Assembly and the S e c u r i t y C o i m c i l to prove t h e i r i m p a r t i a l i t y as f a r as r e s p e c t f o r i n t e m a t i o n a l l e g a l i t y was c o n c e m e d by r e c o g n i z i n g the r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n people to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , immediately t a k i n g the n e c e s s a r y s t e p s to convene such an i n t e m a t i o n a l conference and a d o p t i n g the r e q u i s i t e measures to ensure the p r o t e c t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n people i n the meantime. 98. Mr. RASPUTRAM (Observer f o r S r i Lanka), e x e r c i s i n g h i s r i g h t of r e p l y , s a i d he wished to g i v e some e x p l a n a t i o n s i n the l i g h t of the statement made by the non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n L i b e r a t i o n imder agenda item 9. The t r u t h was t h a t the LTTE had denied the Tamil community the r i g h t to choose i t s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s through f r e e and f a i r e l e c t i o n s by s y s t e m a t i c a l l y a t t a c k i n g a l l opposing Tamil p a r t i e s through murder and t e r r o r i s m and c o n s i s t e n t l y r e f u s i n g to meet r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of o t h e r Tamil p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s , the Government and indeed p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s of o t h e r communities i n o r d e r to e v o l v e a n a t i o n a l consensus f o r a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n to the problems f a c e d by S r i Lanka. 99. H is Government, f o r i t s p a r t , was working towards such a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n . N e g o t i a t i o n s were i n p r o g r e s s w i t h the democratic p a r t i e s of the Tamil commimity. The r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of L i b e r a t i o n had s a i d t h a t there was a de f a c t o blockade and i n f a c t had accused not o n l y the a u t h o r i t i e s but a l s o E/CN.4/1991/SR.7 page 21 the Muslim commionity i n the n o r t h and the e a s t of the c o u n t r y of k i l l i n g Tamil civilians. H i s d e l e g a t i o n r e j e c t e d those t o t a l l y unfounded a l l e g a t i o n s . Anyone, i n c l u d i n g j o u r n a l i s t s , was f r e e to v i s i t any p a r t of the c o u n t r y . 100. A t the l a t e s t s e s s i o n o f the Sub-Commission, s e v e r a l members had r e f e r r e d to the a t r o c i t i e s committed by the LTTE, i n c l u d i n g the murder of Muslim c i v i l i a n s i n a mosque and t e r r o r i s t a t t a c k s d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t innocent c i v i l i a n s of a l l communities. The LTTE was c o n t i n u i n g i t s p o l i c y o f e t h n i c s e g r e g a t i o n by e x p e l l i n g Muslims and members of other communities from t h e i r homes. As a r e s u l t of those v i o l e n t a c t s , there was a massive exodus of people to o t h e r p a r t s of the c o u n t r y . 101. While i t was amenable to c o n s t r u c t i v e c r i t i c i s m , h i s Government c o u l d not accept t h a t a t e r r o r i s t group espousing the dismemberment of the c o u n t r y on r a c i s t o r e t h n i c l i n e s should be p r e s e n t e d as an a p p r o p r i a t e v e h i c l e f o r the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The S r i Lankan Government was n e i t h e r a c o l o n i a l Power nor an a l i e n e n t i t y b u t had been e l e c t e d d e m o c r a t i c a l l y by a l l communities i n S r i Lanka, i n c l u d i n g the Tamil community. The overwhelming m a j o r i t y of the Tamil community wanted l a s t i n g peace i n a m u l t i - r e l i g i o u s and multi-ethnic polity. The meeting rose a t 1.05 p.m.